1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to media devices and, more specifically, to portable media players that store and utilize digital media assets.
2. Description of the Related Art
Today, USB drives, also referred to as Flash drives or keychain drives, are popular portable data storage devices. A USB drive can be used in place of other storage mediums such as floppy disks, CDs, DVDs, zip drive disks, etc. In most cases, the USB drive is a plug and play device that includes Flash memory for storing data and a USB connector for connecting to a host device. While these devices work well, they are limited in the operations that they can perform. These devices are only configured for storing and transporting stored data (similar to other portable storage mediums) and therefore they do not include processing components, batteries for powering the processing components, or a user interface that enable users to communicate with the processing components.
Portable media players, also referred to as MP3 players, are also popular today. Portable media players can be grouped into three different categories: those with removable media storage, such as CD or DVD players; those with internal hard drives; and those that store media in non-volatile memory. Each category of portable media player has advantages and drawbacks in terms of size, functionality, battery life, and media storage capabilities.
Those portable media players that store media in non-volatile memory are commonly referred to as Flash MP3 players or Flash media players. Flash media players are often smaller than other types of portable media players. One problem common to many conventional Flash media players is that their small size often results in difficult-to-use media player controls. Although conventional Flash media players typically incorporate a display so that a user can navigate through the media files that are stored on the device, the display adds to the size, weight and power consumption. Even with a display, the media player controls are often not user friendly.
Another common problem with conventional Flash media players is bulky batteries, which are typically required to provide a reasonably long battery life before having to recharge the player or replace the player's batteries. Conventionally, media player designs have been made larger in order to accommodate improved user controls, batteries, and/or a display.
As portable media players have become more popular, there has been an increased demand for improved media player design. Thus, there remains a need for media players having improved user controls, small sizes, and longer battery life.